182 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



There was but one period after the blossoms opened when the tem- 

 perature reachd freezing. By 12 o'c'Iock the night of May 1 the tempera- 

 ture had dropped to 30 degrees with a slight wind from a little to the 

 north of west. We started the fires in the heaters, beginning at the 

 northeast corner of the orchard and following the north line of pots to 

 the west side of the orchard and then down the outside row on the west 

 side and then every other row was lighted north and south, working east 

 from the west side. The reservoir type of heaters was used -and in the 

 rush the first ones lighted on the north and west side were not carefully 

 regulated and on returning to this part of the orchard some time later it 

 was found that the valves had been closed to such an extent in most cases 

 that the fires had gone out. Frost was forming on the vegetation near the 

 ground and even on the lids of the fire pots where the fires had died out. 

 The thermometers showed a temperature of about 27 degrees and the 

 ground was slightly frozen in places. Farther east where the fires burned 

 steadily no frost was apparent, even though this part of the orchard was 

 considerably lower and the movement of air less. 



As the fruit began to gain size and color it could be noticed that the 

 trees bordering on the north and west sides of the orchard were carrying 

 a lighter crop of fruit, and when the fruit was gathered the light yield 

 corresponded very closely to the area where the fires went out and frost 

 formed. There was not another orchard in Cass county, or anywhere in 

 eastern Nebraska coming under our notice where the crops were so even 

 as in this orchard. Almost every tree in this orchard, except those on 

 the north and west sides, carried a full crop, and it was evenly distrib- 

 uted all through i;he trees. In other orchards similarly located and 

 equally well treated, otherwise than the heating, the crop was more or 

 less spotted and uneven. Quite often the crop was mainly on one side 

 of the tree or on certain parts of the orchard. 



THE FARMER'S GARDEN. 



How different are the gardens today from the old home gardens of 

 thirty and forty years ago, with its little beds that were spaded and 

 thrown up so neatly and bordered by hyacinths, jonquils, tulips. May 

 pinks, sweet Williams, and pansies. Around the garden fence was the 

 hollyhock, jasamine, honeysuckles and roses galore that lived year after 

 year. They remain but a sweet memory today. 



And in every old garden were the herbs our grandmothers loved so 

 well and no garden was considered complete without rhubarb, asparagus, 

 grapes, gooseberries, red and white currants and the black, yellow and 

 red raspberries. 



I am old fashioned enough to still consider the berries a necessity 

 in the garden. We have one acre in our garden and about one-fourth of 

 that is in berries and seedling trees. 



It is a mistaken idea that gardening is hard work. Of course you 

 can make hard work of it if you like, but it should be one of the most 



